Chapter 158: Chapter 157
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That night, at the Konoha Hotel, a shadowy figure quietly evaded the Konoha ninjas assigned to protect the area and made their way to the vicinity of the Hyuga clan's residence.
After some stealthy manipulation, it seemed that a signal was sent.
Soon after, another figure, cloaked in black and with all distinguishing features concealed, approached the area near the Cloud Ninja leader's quarters. The figure's cautious demeanor and attire suggested they were someone familiar with Konoha.
However, whether this person was a spy sent by the Cloud Ninjas, a subordinate of Danzo, or a member of the Hyuga clan dissatisfied with the Caged Bird Seal, remained unclear.
"Follow me," the cloaked figure whispered.
"I'll show you the target, but the rest is up to you."
After offering some succinct words, the figure led the Cloud Ninja leader through a series of twists and turns before arriving outside a slightly old-fashioned yet dignified house.
Without a second glance at the Cloud Ninja behind him, the figure vanished into the night, melding seamlessly with the shadows.
Without an insider, there's no way the Cloud Ninja, a foreigner unfamiliar with Konoha, could have found the Hyuga clan's residence—let alone pinpointed the exact location of Hiashi Hyuga's home.
Despite his meticulous planning, the intruder was unfortunate enough to be discovered by Hiashi Hyuga, the head of the Hyuga clan.
Panicked and desperate, the intruder attempted to flee, only to be struck down by an enraged Hiashi. The clan head, convinced the intruder had come to his home for some devious purpose, thought the whole affair was oddly audacious.
Early the next morning, explosive news swept through the streets and alleys of Konoha.
The head of the Hyuga clan had killed the leader of the Cloud Ninja delegation, who had come to negotiate a peace agreement. Though the killing was in response to an attempted kidnapping of the Hyuga heir, the fact remained that the negotiator from the Cloud Village had been killed. This undeniable fact sent shockwaves through the village, stirring up everyone from high-ranking Konoha officials and influential clans to ordinary citizens.
All eyes turned toward the Hokage Building and the Hyuga clan's mansion, eagerly awaiting the fallout from this incident.
In a packed conference room within the Hokage Building, tensions were high. Danzo, with fervor in his voice, delivered a rousing speech. He painted the Cloud Ninjas as treacherous and ambitious, urging the others to back his proposal for war against Kumogakure.
Toshiro, however, couldn't help but stifle a yawn, finding Danzo's theatrics rather dull.
As the prison warden of Konoha, Toshiro was fortunate enough to participate in this expanded high-level meeting. Seated beside him were members of the Interrogation Department and the squad leader of the Sealing Team.
"These cloud ninjas are like bulls that can never be satiated," someone declared with fervor. "If we back down now, they'll take it as a sign of weakness, believing that Konoha fears them. The consequences would be dire!"
"We must strike first. Ignore their posturing—send our village's elite forces to teach them a lesson and remind them who the true powerhouse of the ninja world is!"
Listening to the heated discussions around him, Toshiro couldn't help but acknowledge that there was some truth in what Danzo had said. He knew that in times of war, sometimes preemptive action was necessary to ensure victory.
"Hiruzen, if I'm granted the necessary authority and command, I can guarantee that the Cloud Ninjas at our borders will be utterly defeated," Danzo declared, his gaze fixed on the Third Hokage seated at the head of the room. Danzo knew he had to seize this opportunity.
The glory of crushing the Cloud Village would bring him one step closer to his ambitions. As he eyed the graying hair of the Third Hokage, Danzo felt a surge of satisfaction. Thanks to the First Hokage's cells, he was still brimming with life, unlike Hiruzen, who seemed to wither with each passing day.
"I'm sure the Hyuga patriarch will support this action as well!" Danzo added, glancing at Hiashi Hyuga, who had been brooding silently since entering the conference room. Despite his persuasive words, the Third Hokage remained unmoved, leaving Danzo frustrated.
The Hyuga clan held significant influence within the village, and unlike the Uchiha, who were also a doujutsu clan, their unique abilities of the Hyuga made them highly valued by their comrades, regardless of the team they joined. The Uchiha, by contrast, had always been known for their lone wolf nature.
However, despite Danzo's not-so-subtle hints, Hiashi remained silent, his expression growing even darker. His clan had been thrust into the spotlight, and he knew that if things went poorly, the blame for the war's outbreak could land squarely on his shoulders.
In the event of significant casualties, the Hyuga clan would have to answer to both the major clans and the civilian ninjas—something that could lead to serious trouble if not handled properly.
As for Danzo's expectation that Hiashi would support his push for war? That was pure wishful thinking. Hiashi's focus was on de-escalating the situation, turning a potential crisis into something more manageable.
The patriarchs of the various clans present at the meeting, along with Konoha's department heads and attending ninjas, listened to Danzo's words in silence. Most of them remained indifferent, their expressions unreadable.
"Danzo, let's not get carried away," the Third Hokage interjected calmly. "This incident is a misunderstanding. I believe that if we explain things clearly to the Cloud Ninjas, we can bring them back to the negotiation table."
The idea of granting Danzo command over the frontlines was unsettling. The Hokage suspected that if Danzo gained such power, the first casualty might very well be himself.
As for the Cloud Ninja situation...
The Third Hokage glanced at Hiashi, who sat silently nearby, his brow furrowed in hesitation.
Before he could speak further, a ninja burst into the room, urgency in his voice. "Lord Third, urgent news!"
Before he could hesitate, a white-haired figure appeared at his side, handing him a sealed scroll.
The Third Hokage quickly inspected the sealing marks on the scroll before eagerly unrolling the message from the Anbu.
The room fell into a tense silence as the Konoha leaders held their breath, all eyes fixed on the Third Hokage, waiting for his reaction.
It was clear that the incoming military report concerned the Cloud Ninja at the border. They had undoubtedly caught wind of the developments in Konoha and were likely making their next move.
After reading the message, the Third Hokage's expression grew increasingly grim. He quickly concluded the meeting and exited the room, but not before exchanging significant glances with a few trusted allies.
As for any notion of democratic discussion, it was of little concern to him. The primary purpose of the meeting had been to gauge the attitudes of the clan leaders and understand their thoughts.
"What on earth happened?"
As soon as they entered the Hokage's office, Koharu, known for her fiery temper, couldn't help but demand an explanation.
"Yes, this isn't like you, Hiruzen... Could it be..."
Even Homura, who was usually reserved and appeared agreeable, was taken aback. Despite his quiet demeanor, he was the sharpest thinker among them. A single glance at Sarutobi's drastically altered expression was enough for him to piece together what was likely going on.
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